Yes, you are correct about the gravity of this breach. When my wife and I were reappointed by the IMB in 2004, a couple were appointed with us, and none of us knew their real names. The IMB gave them their certificates of appointment in front of us appointees, not the crowd in the auditorium. We never knew their names, nor were we told where they were going. At our first Stateside Assignment Conference we met a couple who used pseudonyms, even at the IMB’s International Learning Center. So, yes, this is a big deal. In the old days most IMB missionaries served in countries, where missionaries could serve openly–countries like Nigeria, Brazil, Kenya, and the Philippines. When we went to language school in the Philippines, the first day we learned to say, “Misyonero ako” (I am a missionary). However, those days are long gone. Now, about 70% of the IMB’s missionaries serve in Category 3 security countries. These nations do not grant visas to missionaries, and our personnel are deported if their missionary role is discovered. Why do so many of our folks serve in those countries? They go there because that is where most of the unreached people groups are located.

July 13, 2018 5:10 pm

J G

Interesting news.

We were told not to say anything about this in the letter we received from the IMB.

Obviously, somebody felt differently and passed on the information.

It would do folks/companies/organizations well to realize that nothing stays secret for long in this day and age.

July 13, 2018 11:26 pm

Blake Haas

My wife and I got our letters this weekend. I wonder how many offers for free credit monitoring I will get in my lifetime.